Political Science Overview

Political Science

• Political Science is a classical discipline that studies political phenomena and its nature.
• It uses theoretical tools to interpret politically meaningful phenomena and improve human understanding.

Philosophers in Political Science

• Aristotle is considered the "Father of Political Science".
  • He believed man is a political animal by nature.
  • He wrote the book "Politics".
• Niccolo Machiavelli is considered the "Father of Modern Political Science".
  • He believed that the end justifies the means
  • He wrote the book "The Prince".

Subdisciplines of Political Science

• Political Theory examines the application of contemporary political concepts such as human rights, equality, peace and justice.
• Comparative Politics contrasts different government and political systems to provide context.
• International Relations studies state-to-state relations and the effects of globalization.
• Political Behavior investigates individual attitudes, knowledge and actions in response to political variables.
• Public Policy analyzes governmental policies, motivations and implementation.
• Public Administration examines the administrative schemes implemented by government officials.

Politics

• Alfred Boyer defines politics as the interaction between civil society and government during governance.
• Max Weber defines politics as the exercise of power within a state.
• David Easton defines politics as the authoritative allocation of scarce values.

Nation and State

• Nation refers to a group of people with a unifying culture, language, and shared experiences.
• State refers to a community of people within a specific territory, ruled by a government that commands obedience and is independent from foreign control.

Elements of State

• People refers to the population of a country.
• Territory defines the state's jurisdiction.